The reputation of Odebrecht, a Brazilian construction giant, has become linked with corruption after it admitted to paying hundreds of millions of dollars in bribes in a dozen countries to secure public works contracts.

But, following a corporate overhaul and the conviction of its former boss Marcelo Odebrecht — still under house arrest after spending more than two years in prison — the group insists it has turned a corner.

“The most critical period has passed,” said the CEO of the Odebrecht conglomerate’s core engineering and construction division, Fabio Januario, 47, named to his post following the scandal.